Just curious the thoughts on swim snorkels. I’m a decent AG triathlete swimmer (1:05 last IM). I have a poor kick in the pool and doing kick sets with a board doesn’t seem effective, strain on the neck and odd body position. It would seem doing kick sets with a snorkel would be more realistic and help with positioning in the water while doing kick sets. It would also seem to help with pull sets.
Any thoughts? I did a search but didn’t really see much on the subject.
I am a sub 1hr IM swimmer, never used the snorkel but then again, the position with kick board doesn’t bother me. I keep my head in the water as during regular stroke and breath to the side. But if it helps you improve the kick, sure, use it.
Yes.
https://www.slowtwitch.com/...wim_Weapon_5991.html
Also this…
https://forum.slowtwitch.com/…=snorkel%20#p6530652
Specific to your question :
Henri Schoeman also “use my snorkel for kicking sets,†and I do the same, but probably for a different reason. For me it’s my spinal stenosis that keeps me from looking forward if I use a kickboard.
Just curious the thoughts on swim snorkels. I’m a decent AG triathlete swimmer (1:05 last IM). I have a poor kick in the pool and doing kick sets with a board doesn’t seem effective, strain on the neck and odd body position. It would seem doing kick sets with a snorkel would be more realistic and help with positioning in the water while doing kick sets. It would also seem to help with pull sets.
Any thoughts? I did a search but didn’t really see much on the subject.
I’m not as good as you nor many of the swimmers here.
My experience is the less I use my neck, the worse the problem becomes.
My two favorite alternatives: large fins with two beat kick helps me tune the entire body for a strong roll for air and the pull buoy makes swimming hand/arm speed just a little faster for coaxing a faster roll to air.
At my pool, it seems like people who use snorkels, as a crutch, end up using them more and more until that’s all they do.
I use a snorkel for specific drills and things I’m working on in the water. I follow the Tower 26 workouts and it’s helped me tremendously with my arm entry and maintaining alignment. Again, I did specific drills to help with that. Then I swim without it for the main set.
I am seriously slow, such is life. I use a snorkel only when Matt Dixon’s program says to. I use it then to watch my hand placement in the water, and monitor my pull visually. It seems to help me with good forearm placement, reinforcing the concept of Total Immersion’s arm placement smoothly, to pierce the water. If you sing through it, it freaks the other pool-goers out. “Michael rowed the boat ashore” stuns them, everytime. Try to look dead serious when you stand up after finishing.
I am seriously slow, such is life. I use a snorkel only when Matt Dixon’s program says to. I use it then to watch my hand placement in the water, and monitor my pull visually. **It seems to help me with good forearm placement, reinforcing the concept of Total Immersion’s arm placement smoothly, to pierce the water. ** If you sing through it, it freaks the other pool-goers out. “Michael rowed the boat ashore” stuns them, everytime. Try to look dead serious when you stand up after finishing.
Nothing to do with a snorkel or not, but the bolded is one of the reasons you’re “ slowâ€
Just curious the thoughts on swim snorkels. I’m a decent AG triathlete swimmer (1:05 last IM). I have a poor kick in the pool and doing kick sets with a board doesn’t seem effective, strain on the neck and odd body position. It would seem doing kick sets with a snorkel would be more realistic and help with positioning in the water while doing kick sets. It would also seem to help with pull sets.
Any thoughts? I did a search but didn’t really see much on the subject.
You can try a snorkel. I personally hate them since I always get water in my nose, and nose clips don’t work on me.
As an alternative, try just kicking on your back (no board) or doing more drills like 6-kick.switch. On your back has the benefit of making sure you are keeping the kick compact and your body line is good.
Thanks Jason, but I only monitor arm/hand placement during drills with a snorkel, and that’s not very much.
You’re missing his point.
Thanks Jason, but I only monitor arm/hand placement during drills with a snorkel, and that’s not very much.
Doesn’t matter if that’s the only time you monitor it. The point is you are actively reinforcing something that is making you slower.
I picked up a snorkel last fall after hearing slowman, Matt Dixon, and some others recommend it. I got a center mount Michael Phelps branded one. It was $20-25 so a pretty small investment.
I like using it for kicking. I usually won’t use a board now and will just keep my arms/hands stretched out in front and stay in a streamline all the way down. I really, really like it for sculling. I’ll also use it when doing some pulling with the small finis paddles.
Just a bit of context here. I’ve been faking the swim in long-distance triathlon since 2000. I swam a 45 minute 1/2 IM back then, and am now down to about 38 minutes. IM PB = 1:14.
I just got a swim snorkel over Xmas and have really taken to it. I often use it as part of my warm-up for 500 M. Other times, as Dan has referenced, I’ll use it just for 1 length, take a 5 second break, and repeat, really trying to be mindful of both my swim mechanics and breathing.
From a coaching perspective, I could really see the utility of the snorkel for a beginner. As most coaches will likely agree with, one of the main things that gets in the way of novice adult swimmers is fear of death. Athletes will want to live, so they thrash about trying to stay afloat and NOT die (drown).
Giving them the security of being able to breathe can help to reduce that anxiety and relax.
And of course that’s a pretty big step in getting better in the water.
Yes. My snorkel is my single best swim toy. I believe that having it has helped improve my technique more than anything else. It’s great for kick sets. But it’s really been a game changer for pull sets when I want to really focus on body, arm, hand position and technique.
Yes. My snorkel is my single best swim toy. I believe that having it has helped improve my technique more than anything else. It’s great for kick sets. But it’s really been a game changer for pull sets when I want to really focus on body, arm, hand position and technique.
^THIS - Yes, absolutely use a snorkel!
Just curious the thoughts on swim snorkels. I’m a decent AG triathlete swimmer (1:05 last IM). I have a poor kick in the pool and doing kick sets with a board doesn’t seem effective, strain on the neck and odd body position. It would seem doing kick sets with a snorkel would be more realistic and help with positioning in the water while doing kick sets. It would also seem to help with pull sets.
Any thoughts? I did a search but didn’t really see much on the subject.
You can try a snorkel. I personally hate them since I always get water in my nose, and nose clips don’t work on me.
As an alternative, try just kicking on your back (no board) or doing more drills like 6-kick.switch. On your back has the benefit of making sure you are keeping the kick compact and your body line is good.
Were snorkels “in vogue” when you swam growing up and/or at the university??? They definitely were not in any programs I’ve swum with, up until maybe the last 10 yrs. I say “maybe” b/c I swam with a USA Swimming age group team back in summer '09 and I can’t recall any snorkel use that summer.
Just curious the thoughts on swim snorkels. I’m a decent AG triathlete swimmer (1:05 last IM). I have a poor kick in the pool and doing kick sets with a board doesn’t seem effective, strain on the neck and odd body position. It would seem doing kick sets with a snorkel would be more realistic and help with positioning in the water while doing kick sets. It would also seem to help with pull sets.
Any thoughts? I did a search but didn’t really see much on the subject.
You can try a snorkel. I personally hate them since I always get water in my nose, and nose clips don’t work on me.
As an alternative, try just kicking on your back (no board) or doing more drills like 6-kick.switch. On your back has the benefit of making sure you are keeping the kick compact and your body line is good.
Were snorkels “in vogue” when you swam growing up and/or at the university??? They definitely were not in any programs I’ve swum with, up until maybe the last 10 yrs. I say “maybe” b/c I swam with a USA Swimming age group team back in summer '09 and I can’t recall any snorkel use that summer.
The center mount snorkels didn’t exist back when I was in school. Or maybe they did, but they weren’t in widespread use.
I have nothing against them, they’re s good tool when used appropriately. I just have a hard time using one.
Just curious the thoughts on swim snorkels. I’m a decent AG triathlete swimmer (1:05 last IM). I have a poor kick in the pool and doing kick sets with a board doesn’t seem effective, strain on the neck and odd body position. It would seem doing kick sets with a snorkel would be more realistic and help with positioning in the water while doing kick sets. It would also seem to help with pull sets.
Any thoughts? I did a search but didn’t really see much on the subject.
You can try a snorkel. I personally hate them since I always get water in my nose, and nose clips don’t work on me.
As an alternative, try just kicking on your back (no board) or doing more drills like 6-kick.switch. On your back has the benefit of making sure you are keeping the kick compact and your body line is good.
The snorkel takes a few sessions to figure out. You will get water boarded for a bit. I hated it and it was awful. Now I love it and can’t imagine not using it for kicking and band/buoy pull sets.
Just curious the thoughts on swim snorkels. I’m a decent AG triathlete swimmer (1:05 last IM). I have a poor kick in the pool and doing kick sets with a board doesn’t seem effective, strain on the neck and odd body position. It would seem doing kick sets with a snorkel would be more realistic and help with positioning in the water while doing kick sets. It would also seem to help with pull sets.
Any thoughts? I did a search but didn’t really see much on the subject.
You can try a snorkel. I personally hate them since I always get water in my nose, and nose clips don’t work on me.
As an alternative, try just kicking on your back (no board) or doing more drills like 6-kick.switch. On your back has the benefit of making sure you are keeping the kick compact and your body line is good.
The snorkel takes a few sessions to figure out. You will get water boarded for a bit. I hated it and it was awful. Now I love it and can’t imagine not using it for kicking and band/buoy pull sets.
I tried it for about a month, just can’t get it right. If I could use a clip it would be a different story.
After a couple months of getting used to feeling like I was suffocating, I have have found that I am swimming longer sets in a more relaxed state. As a sprint freestyler, I got in the habit of “sucking air,†and the tension that worked for my (admittedly sub-optimal) 50 or 100 Free didn’t work well when trying to reach a steady state while pressing through 500+ yards. My 100 snorkel times have gotten pretty fast, and while I may just be including more long interval sets, I’m feeling much more relaxed swimming distance. Additionally, kick sets are much more comfortable given some back issues that flare with hyperextension.
… and I don’t know where all of that water that drains from my nose is coming from!